High-tension oil-switch.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906v H. P. BALL.

HIGH TENSION OIL SWITCH. APPLICATION TILED JULY 2, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTO

PAT'ENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

H. P. BALL. I HIGH TENSION OIL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHE WITNESSES:-

H. P. BALL.

PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

HIGH TENSION OIL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULYZ, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906. HQP. BALL.

HIGH TENSION OIL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULYQ 1902.

.4 SHBETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 563 awww ATTORNEY rents.

TENT OFFICE.

HENRY PRICE BALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL INCANDESCENT ARC LIGHT COMPANY, NEW YORK, A CORPO- RATION.

HIGH-TENSION OIL-SWITCH.

Specification of-Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed Jul-y 2, 1902. Serial No. 114,093.

provements in High Tension Oil-Switches, of

which the following is a specification.

M-y invention relates to oil-switches of the type especially designed for use with circuits transmittinghightension large quantity cur- My invention consists in the mechanismfor electrically actuating the switch from a distance, and, further, in the means employedfor automatically changing the circuit connections through the actuating mechanism.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for actuating the switch from a distance and for maintaining the direction of movement given to the switch until it has completed the required movement in opening or closing the switch and irrespective of the condition or position of the primary switch or device located at a distance through the instrumentality of which the. switch mechanism isfirstenergized.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention and in which, similar letters and numerals indicate like parts.

,Figures' 1, 2, and 3 are diagrams illustrating the circuit connections between the mechanism for actuating the oil-switch, the source of power, and the primary energizing device a at a distance and also showlng the successive positions of the parts. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a vault containing an oil-switch withits actuating mechanism shown as a side elevation. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper portion of the switch-actuating mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper portion of the switchactuating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a corresponding view with the cam in section and illustrates the position of the lever which controls the switch-lever just before the switch-lever is thrown to the'left. Fig. 8 is a top view.

Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the switch mechanism which is located above the oil-wells.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate diagrammatically the general relation existing between the main distributin system, the oil-switch,and.its actuating an energizing mechanism. In these figures, A

indicates the three conductors of an alternatin distributing-current system; B oil-wells; Cfiiridging devices coacting with the oil-wells D, source of constant current; E, handswitch located at a distance from the oilwells; F, lever of hand-switch; G G, solenoids located at the oil-Wells for raising and lowering the bridging devices and for moving the switch-lever H, and I I I J J J 2 contacts hand-switch E, through the instrumentality of which the solenoids G G may be thrown in circuit with the dynamo D.

In Fig. 1 of the diagram the parts are 'shown in the position which they would 00- the circuits through the oil-wells broken. It will beobserved in this figure that the knife blade F of the hand-switch E occupies a mid- If this figure was extended, it would show the bridging devices as fully inserted within the oil-wells and in electrical contact with cooperating with the switch-lever: H and r cupy with the bridging devices elevated andthe contact devices contained within the oilwells. The operation of the deviceso far as relates to the action of the energizing device at a distance through the hand-switch upon the actuating mechanism and the actuating mechanism upon the energizing device so far as the circuit connections are concerned is as follows:

Assuming the knife-blade F of the handswitch E to be thrown to the left l. 8., into the position shown by the dotted lines, Fi l a current will flow from d namo D throug knife-blade F, conductor K? by switch-lever H, this lever bridging the contacts I solen 'oid G, and conductor L, back to dynamo. The pull of the solenoid G acting through its core will shift the switch-lever H to the left to cover contacts I I, or otherwise into the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be observed that when the switch-lever H covers the conin circuit with the dynamo and is independent of the hand-switch. v The object of this arrangement is to provide that the current from the dynamo D will. be. transmitted through the solenoid at the time energized until the limit of movement of itscore is reached and irrespective of the position of the hand-switch.

The movement of the switch mechanism as described serves to close the circuits through the oil-wells. VYhen the limit of movement of'the core of the solenoid G has been reached, the switch-lever H is auto: matically shifted to the right through the action of the spring mechanism, to be hereafter described, to cover the contacts J J. When it/is desired to open the switch, the knife-blade F o'fthe hand-switch E is turned to the righti'. 6., to the position shown in Fig. 3. With the knife-blade F in this osition the current from the dynamo wil be transmitted through the solenoid G, which, attracting its core, will move the switch-lever H to the right to cover the contacts J J At this point after the movement of the core of solenoid G the switch-lever will be automatieall shifted to again cover the contacts VI 1. T us it Will be seen that by throwing the hand-switch E in one direction tlie oilswitch will be thrown from its open position- (shown in Fig. 1) through the intermediate position in Fig. 2 to its closed position, (shown in Fig. 3,) and upon movin the hand-switch in the op ositedirection the reverse movement of t e oil-switch will take place. iatThe construction of the oil-switch illustrated' in Fig. 4 has been described by me in a prior application, Serial No. 95,609, filed February 25, 1902. I shall therefore in this s ecification give only such a description of t e oil-switch as is necessary to make the succeeding description of the switch-actuating mechanism intelligible.

M indicatcsra vault or receptacle in which the oil-wells are located; N, oil-wells; O,

movable platform upon which the oil-wellsare mounted; P, non-conducting rod, connected at the lower end to the bridging devices Q ofthe oil-wells and at the upper end to the switch-actuating mechanism.

The mechanism for actuating the switch is mounted upon the top of the vault or receptacle and consists of a suitable standard It, in the upper end of which and arranged to rotate in suitable bearings is a shaft Sccurcd to the rear end of this shaft is a lcver T. the lower cud oi which is providcd with the horizontally and rcnrwardly projecting arms T and thc cam-head T". Loosely pivoted uponthe shaft S is an arm If, the lower end of which is situated bctwwn the projecting arms T of the lever 'l. The distance between these arms is somewhat greater than the width of the arm If, so that when the le- 1 verT is rotated in either direction it may be moved a short distance before engaging with the arm U. The outer end of the arm U is connected through a rod V with the crosshead W, connected to the non-conducting rod P, which carries the brid ing devices Connected to the o posite si head from the rod 8 is a sleeve 10, arranged to move vertically upon the vertical rod 11; This rod 11 is connected at one end to the top of the receptacle M and at the other end to the standard R.

Secured to the front end of the shaft Sis an arm 12 carrying a projecting in 13. Interposed between this pin and t e base of the standard R is a helical spring 14. The function of this spring is to balance the weight of the lever T and arm U, the non-conducting rod P, and bridge Q. -Mounted on the same end of the shaft is a band-wheel 15, over which is placed-a flegribjle band 15 somewhat narrower than the band-wheel, connected at its oppositi ends to the" cores 16 16 of the solenoids G. The band is secured to the band-wheel by means of a screw 17, Fi 6. The band-wheel has formed in its perip e a concave opening 18, the purpose of whic will hereinafter be described. Mounted also S and back of the band-wheel is a cam-Wheel 1'9, Fig. 6, having formed in its rear surface a cam-slot 20.

Secured to the standard R is a plate of invirhich are located the contacts I I I J J J These are preferably constructed in the manner shown 'in Fig. 8'i. 0., as pairs of oppositely-disposed spring-plates having contact-surfaces. Secured to the front of the plate 21 is abracket 22, having a horizontally laterally projecting arm 23, which-supports a rearwardly-projecting fixed shaft 24. Pivotally mounted upon this shaft is a switchlever ll, formed of a lever 25 and a contactblade 26, which engages the contacts I I PJ .IJ' Projecting horizontally and forwardly 27, on which is a roller 28. This roller 28 is cam 19.

Also pi-votally mounted u pon the shaft 24 is a short lever 29, carrying at its lower end the roller 30, which bears normally upon the periphery of the band-wheel 15. The upper end of this lever is provided with anarm .31, from which projects backwardly and horizontally a pin 32. A similar pin 33 projects forwardly and horizontally from the lever 25.

Surrounding the shaft 24 is a coiled spring 34. the ends of which are crossed and bear, in- Fig. 6, the end over the pin 33 on the lever and the end 36 under the pin 32 on the lever 29-. In Fig. 7 the pin 32 is shown as hearing on the end 35 of the spring 34 and the end 36 upon the pin 33.

upon and secured to the same end of the shaft sulating material 21, upon the upper face of.

e of the crossfrom the lower end of the lever 25 is a pin adapted to take in the cam-slot 20 of the 3?, Figs. 6 and 8, represents e'lasticstops to coac t with the ends of the blocks 39 40' These blockls' are pivoted at 41 41. Ar-

ranged over the block 39 is a spring 42 and a corresponding spring 43 underthe block 40.

' Projecting horizontally and forwardly, on the blocks 39 40 and, rigidly mounted thereon are the ins 44 44*. These blocks serve to lock the ever U in either the opened or closed position of the switch.

The operation of the switch mechanism will be readily; understood.

When the hand-switch F is" shifted, as has heretofore been described, to one position or the other, the solenoid G or G is thrown into circuit with the dynamo D. One of the solenoids at such time Will attract its core, and, assuming it to be the solenoid G, its core l6 will be pulled down and through the action of thBrbELIld on the band-wheel 15 the shaft S will be rotated to the right. The rotation of the shaft S to the right will move the lever T in the arc of a circle to the left. When the movement of the lever T c mmences, its cam-head T will move over the pin 44, projecting from the block 40 and depress the block out of the path of movement of the lever, which will move from the position shown in the dotted lines, Fig. 6, to a position one hundred and eighty degrees distant and will move with it the arm U from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby making traction upon the rods V P and lifting the bridging device Q out of the oil-wells. The rotation of the shaft S will also impart a correspond ing movement in the same direction tothe cam-wheel'19. I

As the cam-wheel 19 rotates to the right the lower surface of the cam-slot 20 moves under the roller 28 on the lever of the switch-lever H. reason of the shape of the cam-slot the roller 28 is first slightly raised, then lowered as the roller approaches the circular portion of the cam-slot. The effect of this movement is to move the contact-blade 26 of the switchlever H to the right from the position where it covers the contacts J J to that Whereit covers the contacts J J As further rotation of the cam-wheel'19 to the-right takes place the roller 28 moves through the circular-portion of the cam'-slot, and as the circular portion is concentricwith the axis of rotation of the cam-wheel no movement is given to the switch-. lever H. While the switch-lever H is thus being moved in re sponse to the action of the cam-slot upon the roller 28 the roller on the lower end of the lever 29 is passing over the periphery of ,the

band-wheel 15. When this roller 30 reaches.

the opening 18 on the band-wheel, it is forced It will be observed that by.

into said opening by the spring 34 acting upon the pins 32 As soon as the roller 30 drops into the opening 18 it is not free to escape until the band-wheel has rotated the lever 29 about the shaft 24, carrying the lower end of the lever to the right. The effect of this movement is to reverse the position of the pins 32 33 relative to the ends 35 36 of the spring 34, thus changing them from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7. Obviously if the ends of the levers 25 and 29 were free the ends 35 36 of the springs 34 would move toward each other until both of said pins were engaged b both ends of the springthat is, until bot pins lay in a radial line extending from the center of the shaft 24. When the ends of the spring are spread apart, they tend to draw the ends of the levers 25 and 29 together. When the parts are in the position shownin Fig. 6, this tendency has the'eifect of causing the lower ends of the levers to move toward the shafts, while when the opening 18 of the band-wheel has caused the lower end of the lever 29 to be thrown to the right of the lower end of the lever 25 this tendency has the effect of causing the lower end of the lever 25 to move away from said shaft S. Conse quently as soon as the cam has moved far enough to. bring the ,radial portion of the cam-slot in line with the roller 28 the roller flies outward, thereby throwing the switchlever H to the left, so that the contact-blade 26 engages the contacts I I. This opens the operating-solenoid circuit and the parts sto in the position shownin Fig. 1, with the oil switch open. In this position of rest the roller 28 does not pass beyond the cam-slot, but bears against a circumferential shoulder in said slot, which prevents its further outward movement, and thereby retains the contact-blade 26 in engagement with the contacts I l and prevents its movement to the contacts I I It will'be observed that when the contactblade 26 of the switch-lever H is thrown on the one hand from the contacts J J to J J or on the other from the contacts I I to I 1 the hand-switch E is cut out of circuit. By reason of this arrangement the initial movement given the oil-switch in either direction through the solenoids G G will be continued until the end of the stroke of the cores 16 16*, as the case may be, and cannot be interfered with by manipulating the hand-switch E.

When the hand-switch E is thrown so as to effect a reverse movement of the switch by energizing the solenoid G, the roller 28 soon passes beyond the circumferential shoulder of the cam-slot into engagement with the periphery of the camrwheel, and in so doing throws the contact-blade 26 of the switch-lever H to the contacts I 1 thus ren dering the solenoid-circuit independent of further manipulations of the hand-switch lever ll to the contacts J J.

This is continued until the roller 5 28 passes into the radial portion of the camslot into the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby throwing the contact-blade 26 of the switch This breaks the circuit of the actuating-solenoid (l and leaves the circuits in a position to be comswitch upon the proper throwing of the handswiteh E. During this return movement the roller 30 on the lever 29 again. engages the opening 18 in the bandswheel and the pins 32 and 33 interchange positions relative to the ends of the spring 34, as previously pointed out. This occurs before the roller 28 reaches the radial portion of the camslot, and thus the spring 34 exerts a tendency to draw the roller 28 into said portion of the slot as soon as it is reached. This leaves th parts in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 3, with the oil-switch closed and the circuits in readiness to repeat the operation to open. the oil-switch upon throwing the blade F of the hand-switch E to the position shown in F ig. 3, which represents the parts in the position assumed by them just before the oil-switch begins to open.

It will be observed that under the action of the spring device the circuit connections through the switch are automatically altered. I wish it understood thatl do not limit myself to the recise mechanism described for automaticaly changing the circuit connections.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. In an electric switch, the combination. of a shaft, a band-wheel on said shaft, a band over said band-wheel, a pivoted switch-lever a series of contacts, spring mechanism meeting with said switch-lever to automatically ing member, and mechanism introduced between the shaft and the bridging member.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of a shaft, a band-wheel on said shaft, having a cam-slot therein, a ivoted switch-lever provided with a pin w ich cooperates with said cam-slot, a series of contacts arranged in the path of movement of the switch-lever. and means energized by the rotation of said scarce said cam-slot, a second lever adapted to cooperate with said band-wheel, and a tension device interposed between said levers.

4. in an electric switch, am. in combination with the actuating mechanism of the switch, a band-wheelprovided with a recess, a cam-wheel having a cam-slot therein, a lever cari yiiig at one end a bridging device and at the other end a wheel adapted to move in said cam-slot, contacts with which said. bridging device coacts, a second lever adapted to cooperate with said band-wheel, and a ten- 5 sion device interposed between said levers. pleted for the reverse movement of the oil- 5. In an electric switch and in combination with the actuating mechanism, means for cutting the actuating mechanism into and out of circuit with the source of electric energy alter the primary movement of the actuating mechanism has begun, said means consisting of a band-wheel having a cavity therein, a cam-wheel havinga cam-slot, a lever enacting with said band-wheel, a lever coacting with said cam-slot, a bridging device, spring-contacts coacting with said bridging device, and means interposed between said levers for causing sair bridging device to make a quick break from the eontacts with which it eoacts.

6. in an electric switch, the combination of a bridging member, actuating means for moving the bridging member, means for overcoming the weight of the bridging member, means for cushioning the movement of the bridging member at the limit of its stroke in either direction, means for locking the bridging member in its open or closed position, contacts connected to difi'erent circuits through the actuating means, and a switchlever moved from one contact to another for changing the circuit connections through the actuating means for moving the bridging member when the limit of movement of the bridging member in either direction has been reached.

7. in an electric switch, the combination of a bridging member, actuating means for moving the bridging member, means for shift it from one contact to another, a bridglocking the bridging member at the limit of its stroke, means for unlocking the bridging member and imparting a hammer-blow to its moving mechanism, contacts connected in diil'erent circuits through the actuating means, a switch-lever shifted from one contac to another for changing the circuit conncctions throu h. the actuating menns for shaft and adapted to enact with said lever to shift it from one contact to another.

3. In an electric switch, and in combination with the actuating mechanism of the switch, a band-wheel provided with a recess, items-wheel having a cam-slot therein, a lever carrying at one end a bridging device and at the other end a wheel adapted to move in moving the bridging member when the limit of movement of the bridging member in either direction has been reached.

in any electric switch, the comiiination with an oscillatory member, of a pal r of actuating-solenoids, a plurality of circuits through each solenoid, a switch l'or controlling the s'olenoidcirciiits located adjacent said member, and means actuated by said member for throwing said switch to different operative member.

in the circuits of the respective solenoids, and

ferent operative positions to close difi erent positions to close different circuits through each solenoid during the oscillations of said 9. In an electric switch, the combination with an oscillatory member, of a pair of actuating-solenoids therefor, a plurality of circuits'through each solenoid, a switch-blade pivoted adjacent to said member, cooperating contacts on opposite sides of the central .osition, the contacts on each side included means actuated by said member for throwing said switch-blade in one,direction to difcircuits through each solenoid and to different operative positions to close difierent circuits through the other solenoid upon the return movement of said member.

10. In an electric switch, the combination with fixedcontacts, ofapivoted cooperating switch-blade, an oscillatory member provided with a cam for actuating said blade, a spring for exerting pressure on said blade to main tain it in operative relation to said cam, and means for changing the direction of applicain the movement of said oscillatory member. 11. In an electric switch, the combinat on wlth a pair of actuating-solenoids, a main. circuit and a branch circuit through each of said solenoids, and a hand-switch for closing the 1 main circuit through either of said solenoids, switching means operated by the energizirtion of one of said solenoids to close the branch circuit through-the same solenoid and subsequently break both circuits through saidsolenoid and leave the main circuit of the other solenoid in condition to be closed by said hand-switch.

12. In an electric switch, the combination with an oscillatory member, a pair of solenoids for controlling the oscillation of said member, a main circuit and a branch circuit through each of said solenoids, of a handswitch for closing said main circuit through either of said solenoids, and a doublethrow switch for further controlling said main circuit and said branch circuit through each of said solenoids, actuated by the movement of the oscillating member in one direction when one of said solenoids is energized to close the branch circuit through the same solenoid and subsequently break both circuits through said solenoid and leave the main circuit of the other solenoid in condition to be closed by said hand-switch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY. PRICE BALL.

\Vitnesses: i

PEARSON, -FRANK OCoNNoR. 

